Lebanese lawyers request investigation into banker Antoun Sehnaoui over alleged Netanyahu dinner
A group of Lebanese lawyers has asked the country's chief prosecutor to open an investigation into banker Antoun Sehnaoui following allegations that he co-hosted a dinner in Washington attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The complaint, submitted on Wednesday, accuses Sehnaoui of "communicating with the Israeli enemy," an allegation that one of the complainants, lawyer Mohamad Amer Al Haj Hassan, said warrants a criminal investigation under Lebanese law.
Allegations emerge amid sensitive political climate
The legal action comes at a particularly sensitive moment in Lebanon, where any perceived contact with Israeli officials remains highly controversial.
Lebanese legislation generally prohibits citizens from engaging in transactions or communication with Israeli individuals and institutions. Although Beirut recently pledged during U.S.-mediated discussions to pursue peaceful relations, Lebanon and Israel remain officially in a state of war, and tensions remain elevated following recent hostilities in southern Lebanon.
The complaint reflects the domestic political sensitivity surrounding any suggestion of normalization with Israel.
Washington dinner draws attention
According to a statement from Netanyahu's office, the Israeli prime minister attended a 27 July dinner in Washington honoring the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a longtime supporter of Israel.
The statement did not identify the organizers of the event.
However, an Israeli official and another source familiar with the gathering told Reuters that the dinner was organized by Sehnaoui and Morgan Ortagus, who previously served as U.S. President Donald Trump's deputy special envoy for the Middle East.
Banker has not publicly responded
Sehnaoui, chairman of Société Générale de Banque au Liban and a member of one of Lebanon's best-known banking families, had not publicly commented on the allegations at the time of reporting.
The businessman, who resides in the United States, has previously drawn public attention in Lebanon after stating earlier this year that he attended a Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony in Washington alongside Ortagus.
The latest complaint is expected to intensify debate in Lebanon over relations with Israel, legal restrictions on contact between citizens of the two countries, and the broader political implications of unofficial diplomatic engagement.
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